The Wharton ISD school board remains stuck at six members after failing to appoint a replacement for longtime trustee Sherrell Speer, who resigned in June. Two candidates, Judd Perry and Robert “Griff” Vandagriff, split the board evenly last Thursday night, with neither securing enough votes. The stalemate leaves the board short-handed as the new school year begins, likely creating gridlock on key decisions until May’s election, when Speer’s former seat and two others will be on the ballot.